Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Create food for pollinators in your garden
Thinking ahead about what to plant ensures you attract insects every season
MONARCH butterflies are on the move. They’re travelling from the north-east to their winter home in Mexico. And as they travel, they might stop in your neighbourhood for sips of nectar from flowers. But what if none of the gardens offer a tasty snack for monarchs or other pollinators? You can change that.
We talked to two experts at Smithsonian Gardens for pointers on creating a home garden to attract pollinators. James Gagliardi and Sylvia Schmeichel are the horticulturalists responsible for the large pollinator garden outside the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. It features 230 plant species to attract pollinators and host their eggs.
The experts encourage kids (and their parents) to think about a variety of animals when planning a garden.
“Move beyond monarchs,” Gagliardi said. “Different pollinators connect with different plants in different ways. Beetles are pollinators. Sugarbirds, flies, bees, moths.”
Gagliardi suggests finding out which plants are native to your area and seeing what those plants attract. “Plant a variety that bloom all year long,” Schmeichel said. “If there is a particular pollinator you want, read about what they like.”
And you don’t have to have a large planting space. “You can even do it in a container on your balcony,” she said.
Using seeds or plants depends on the time and money you can spend.
“I like to use plant material because I’m impatient,” Gagliardi said.
Some flowers come from bulbs, which require a bit of patience. You plant bulbs such as daffodils and crocuses in autumn, and they flower in spring.
Thinking ahead is important for creating a welcome spot for pollinators in every season. – Washington Post